


A Million Miles Away

by suitsflash (bikeross)



Series: Supernatural Fairy Tales [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Aladdean, Aladdin AU, Baby is Carpet, Casmine, M/M, Unbeta'd
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-21 18:24:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17048297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bikeross/pseuds/suitsflash
Summary: Gabriel takes Jack to a fictional town in California to tell the story of how a green eyed street rat fell for a prince in his corporate tower.





	1. Arabian Nights

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FoxVII](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxVII/gifts).



> This is for my birthday fox! One of my bestest friends in the whole wide world!! :D 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, it's unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine. 
> 
> Hopefully I'll finish this one by next year. But we'll see ;)

Although Jack is healed now, powered by his human soul, it’s become a nightly tradition to have Gabriel tell him a fairy tale involving the members of their motley crew. 

And Gabriel knows that even if Dean won’t admit it, he loves the stories just as much. 

Even though he’s loath to admit it, seeing Dean happy—no. Seeing them all happy, makes Gabriel himself happy. 

“Jackie boy did I ever tell you about the time that I was stuck in a bottle for ten thousand years?” Gabriel leans back against the wall, legs crossed at his ankles and fingers interlaced behind his head. He squints open an eye and then lets them fall closed again when he sees Jack’s interest pique. 

Jack’s eyes widen and his gaze falls upon Gabriel’s, his eyebrows crinkling together. “Ten thousand years?” He asks, his voice vaguely displaying an undercurrent of disbelief. 

“Hellooo,” Gabriel counters, pointing at his face. “Archangel, kinda dealing with several billion years here, the whole ten thousand years--only a blip.” He grins and shrugs, snapping so that his lower half turns into a puff of smoke and a lamp appears beneath him. “Convincing enough for ya?” He asks, waggling his eyebrows up and down. 

Jack laughs--well it’s more of an almost giggle, at that and Gabriel can’t help the feeling of fondness that goes catapulting through his body. Jack is so kind and genuinely effervescent that Gabriel can’t really even imagine his life without him. 

Sam chuckles from the corner, flipping through a magazine as he listens to Gabriel recounting the story. 

“Y’know I can do this one a little differently,” Gabriel says looking at the gang around him. 

Dean’s expression narrows. “What.”

Gabriel only responds with a wink before he snaps, the world blurring as it shifts around them. 

Slowly the bunker begins to transform and change. The pillars around them start lengthening and curving, coconuts beginning to form near the leaves as they curve. The table turns into a watering hole. Tendrils of magic begin to twist and turn around as they shape the area to be an oasis, And then slowly that turns into the seedy part of a city--it’s hot, they’re in some sort of desert area. But it’s definitely clear that they’re still in the US. 

Jack wakes up, rubbing his eyes, looking around. Confusion is etched across his brow. What? What is this place?

There are numerous stalls popping up around him slowly as the people of the town begin to get out of bed and go about their business. The dairy farmers begin arranging their eggs, the breadmakers their bread, and of course the artisanal arts and crafts store that’s popped up around them. 

He’s in some sort of farmer’s market. Someone is selling their bushels of apples, and others are selling their fair trade honey. 

Staring down at his garments, Jack seems to be dressed in a set of jeans and a blue shirt. He’s thankful it’s not open, though he wonders if it’s possible for him to get some sort of sunburn. Confused, he walks down the line of the street, trying to figure out what just happened. Or where the hell he is. 

The last story Gabriel told did not start like this so he has no idea why this one even should. It’s frustrating to say the least. 

And then he comes across a booth that displays the information of the city he’s in. And then he hears a voice next to him. 

“Pretty neat huh?” Gabriel asks, leaning against the information stand. 

Jack nearly jumps in surprise, but he throws his hands up in frustration. “What did you do?” He hisses. 

Gabriel shrugs before he crosses his arms. “Figured I’d send you on a more visual journey for this particular tale. You seem up for it.” 

Jack frowns. “Okay, how am I supposed to experience a story if I’m supposed to be trying to survive or live it.” 

Gabriel shrugs. “Well, don’t worry it’s not about you. It’s….kinda about a diamond in the rough. Well no that’s probably copyrighted. Let’s just go with the righteous man.” 

“A what now?” Jack asks. 

“Diamond in--” Gabriel pauses. “Well, as I said, showing, not telling is really gonna be the best bet. But figured the initial locale of the story is kind of culturally insensitive.” He shrugs before tossing Jack an apple. “So we’re gonna go for Agra, California.”

Jack looks around. “So is this some sort of Agra-cultural Fair?” 

Gabriels’ gaze hardens. “No.” He repsonds. “That was terrible.” But his lips quirk up in a smile and he wraps an arm around Jack. “So this is the setting. And over there--” He points out two boys--well they’re not really boys. 

More like young men. 

“That’s Dean,” Gabriel says, pointing out the slightly shorter one before his face screws up in a fond look of longing. “And that’s Sam.” 

Jack nods. “Yeah Gabriel. I know,” he says. “They’re my dads.” 

Gabriel stops and he turns to Jack. “I swear to dad I’m going to turn you into the monkey if you don’t let me just tell the story.” 

Jack huffs out a sigh and crosses his arms. “Fine,” he grumbles. But his annoyance cedes to his curiosity and he waits for Gabriel to continue. 

“So as I was saying before getting so, rudely interrupted. This is a story about intrigue. Corporate espionage. The working class. The upper class. Cause this little town depends on that company you see at the edge of the city. Born Angelic Holdings, or BAH--they run a few things, but basically drive the economy of this area. The Agra-BAH branch is probably their most lucrative, but it’s family run. And the one rule is, whenever someone has to take over the company, they run it with a partner. And this company kind of runs the town. See, there’s only one road out of the town and it goes through miles of desert. So it’s not as much of a company as it is royalty. They own the police force and local government--and anyways, there’s only one person that’s ever spoken against it.”

Jack cocks his head in confusion. 

Gabriel responds with a shake of his head and snaps them into the boardroom where a very bored looking Castiel sits at the desk while a woman dressed in a severe suit speaks down to him. 

“So that’s Cas,” Gabriel says. “But we’ll get to him.” He snaps and the two appear in a bar. 

Arabian Nights

“So what do you think? You ready to get immersed in the story?” Gabriel asks, handing Jack a milkshake and pulling out a small yellow lamp. 

Jack’s eyebrows furrow and he nods once. “I think so Uncle Gabe.” 

“Well, open sesame,” Gabriel says, as a small plume of smoke comes out from the lamp surrounding them both until the world begins to move around them.


	2. One Jump Ahead

Dean curses as he runs down an alleyway, a parcel of bread under his arm. 

“Shit,” He hisses as he vaults over a bench, almost dropping the loaf of bread. 

He growls, picking up the bread again as he skids around a corner, groaning when he sees more cops heading down the street in heavy pursuit. 

What he would give to have a car right now. But they had to sell theirs to keep his brother fed a long time ago. 

Thank goodness it wasn’t a car that was altogether too fancy. 

But he finds that simply running is easier. It keeps him fed, it keeps Sammy fed and that’s all they need. 

Ever since their dad left them to find revenge on the demon that killed their mother, Dean’s been providing for both himself and his younger sibling. 

He’s always wanted to do something more--but alas, he got tied down in a system that was determined to work against him from the very first day. 

It doesn’t help that Agra is run by a corrupt police force led in part by one of the senior board members at AgraBAH, determined to keep their town free of street rats as they’re known to the others.

But Dean doesn’t know who it is. No one does. The corruption goes straight to the top. And now that the company is under the threat of collapse (unless the young CFO can find a wife--weirdest rule ever, if you ask Dean), Dean doesn’t have high hopes for the small town. 

But hey. It’s home. 

So he has to keep one step ahead of law enforcement. One jump ahead of the rest. He’s determined to only steal what he can’t afford. 

And though Sammy doesn’t appreciate it, he’s going to make sure that Sammy can go places. Go to school if he wants to. He deserves it. 

Dean’s only a street rat anyhow. 

At least that’s what he’s told. 

He doesn’t necessarily buy that. In all honesty, he knows there’s more to himself. As he climbs the stairs into the abandoned building on the outskirts of town, he sees his younger brother, textbooks in hand, teaching the younger kids in the building. 

The ones who can’t afford to go to school. 

A smile crosses his face and he kneels down next to Sam, offering him a piece of bread. 

However, when the children see the food in his hands, they immediately start salivating. So after a quick glance in Sam’s direction, Dean hands the loaf to both children who run off happily, excited to not go the night hungry. 

“Sorry bud. Maybe tomorrow,” he says, launching himself onto the bed. (Bed is pushing it, it’s more of a collection of sleeping pallets piled on top of each other.) 

Sam nods. “Hey, we’re gonna find work somewhere,” he says. “Things won’t always be like this.” 

Steeling his jaw Dean nods. He’s known that Sam’s wanted to leave this city for a while, but before John left, he’d told him that Dean needed to take care of Sam and stay put. He’d come back. 

But lately it seems like that likelihood is growing farther and farther away. 

Regardless, Dean made a promise, and it’s one he intends to keep. He can’t keep disappointing his father like he always somehow managed to. 

“No they won’t,” he promises Sam. 

Sam pats his shoulder. “You said you might have a job tomorrow?” He asks, cocking his head. 

Dean shakes his head. “No. That’s a bust. Feds figures it out and caught the guy so. Not gonna pull off that scam”

Sam sighs. “So back to the credit card ones,” he says. 

“Look we’re only stealing what we can’t afford,” Dean reasons. 

“That’s everything!” Sam exclaims. 

Dean clicks his tongue and winks. 

His eyebrows tug together in a frown and he pulls his legs up to his chest. He looks out of the cracked window at the city below. 

Sam continues reading and Dean promises himself that things are going to change. And he’s going to make them change. 

No matter what he has to do. 

\---  
Agra-BAH Inc.  
\---

Anael marches out of the room, curses flying wildly as she goes up to Naomi. 

“You said he’d actually be open to a partnership,” she hisses. “Instead, he’s got all these ideas about merging--about letting the people of the city work? No we drive their economy, but we can’t let them into the business.” 

She screws up her face in anger and Naomi sighs in response. 

This was the third time she’d attempted to set Castiel up with someone, and no matter how much she urged the future CEO to not bring up work, to try to get to know the women she was setting him up with , the more he would propose his more outlandish business propositions. 

She’s fairly convinced that he’s just making up progressively far more ridiculous ideas at a time. 

However, the rules of the company set about years prior, indicated that the CEO was to be married before starting his reign. 

It was antiquated and outdated, but rules were rules. 

Apparently having a family meant more heirs to take on the vast empire of the company. 

Also, according to the rules, Naomi could only take over as acting CEO for a total of five years. As they were on their fourth, the time has come for Castiel to take up the helm. 

However, he’s chased every single eligible bachelorette out. 

She doesn’t know what to do anymore except for marching into his office to give him a piece of her mind. 

“Castiel,” she says. “You couldn’t even try with Anael?”

“ _You_ couldn’t even try with Anael?” Castiel counters, his arms folded across his chest, an eyebrow quirked upwards. 

Naomi presses her lips together. “You know that’s the third person I’ve set you up with.” 

Silence. 

“This week.” 

Castiel nods. “Well then perhaps I don’t need to get married. That rule--it’s pedantic. It’s insipid.”

“It was made by your father,” Naomi counters. “And I understand you’re mourning, but it’s been four years. It’s time for you to take on your destiny.”

She’s met by Castiel inhaling sharply, his face hardened with anger. “I still don’t see how me getting married to someone I have no feelings for will do anything.”

Naomi shrugs before her expression softens. “You’ll be making sure your father’s empire is taken care of. That’s what it’ll do. Now, I have a few more ladies coming in tomorrow. Do try to be on your best behavior.” 

Castiel makes a face at her as she leaves and he tosses a stack of papers up in the air to punctuate his disapproval. 

He stands and heads to the floor to ceiling windows before looking at the town just beyond the confines of the tower. 

And he realizes he’s never actually been there before. In all the two dozen years he’s been alive, he’s never stepped beyond the confines of the company. He’s been all over the world, but he hasn’t even explored his own town. 

He knows that Naomi will be disappointed he’s going to miss the board meeting. 

But Castiel has led a very sheltered life. 

It’s time for him to live a little.


	3. A Million Miles Away

Little do either of them know; however, that there’s someone else with designs on the company that Chuck had built up from scratch. 

Standing in the corner, he appears at Naomi’s side, always ever so helpful. 

“Lucian,” Naomi says, acknowledging his presence. 

“You know Castiel isn’t the last hope for this company,” Lucian says, a slow adder like smile appearing on his face, his eyes intently focusing on Naomi. 

She huffs a small sigh out and stops before turning to him. “You have one minute,” she says, her stance firm. 

“Well I’m merely saying, if Castiel can’t find a wife, perhaps it’s time that someone else takes control,” Lucian suggests. “Someone more willing to follow the rules his father set up.”

“You know the company was left to Castiel,” Naomi says. “It was supposed to be yours and then you went and squandered almost four million dollars.” 

“Failed investment,” Lucian says with a dramatic shrug.

“Wasn’t it at poker?” Crowley, his right hand, asks from the side. 

Lucian frowns before turning to look at him. “Like I said. Bad investment. But this company should be mine and you know it.” 

Naomi laughs before stepping into her office, almost closing the door in Lucian’s face. “I should know it?” She asks. “Lucian. You’re literally the devil. The only way you’re running this company is if Castiel doesn’t find a bride. Well either that or a genie grants you a wish.” 

And with that. She shuts the door in his face. 

Lucian’s face grows dark and he turns on his heel, slamming the down button for the elevator so that he can go to his office. Down in the basement. Because none of the angels have any sense of humor. Oh well. They’ll all see, he reasons. 

“Guess we’ll have to find that Genie,” Crowley says following Lucian. 

“I told you to be quiet,” he hisses. 

The number of magic users in the world, Lucian can count on one hand. And being that he’s one of them, it’s something he likes to keep close to his chest. 

Of course being his personal assistant, Crowley has had to learn of his external proclivities. 

But he can’t just magic the paperwork of his father’s company into his name. Oh no. Because Lucian has a suspicion that their father bound the bylaws with magic. And a powerful ancient magic at that. 

He strides down into his office and slides open the bookcase to reveal where he practices the forbidden arts, Crowley the ever faithful puppy at his heels. 

Well with the way he squawks, Lucian recons he’s more of a parrot anyways. 

But that’s unimportant. 

Opening up his book, he thumbs to the incantation required to locate the mystical lamp and the genie within it. 

In a pile of rubble   
In the desert sands   
A lamp sits in wait   
For a righteous man  
To change his fate

“That’s not really the most elegant poetry now is it?” Crowley asks, his expression shifting into a slight frown. 

Lucian shrugs. It does the trick. At least for now. 

“So now we need to find, whatever diamond in the rough means,” He grouses, rubbing his jaw in contemplation. 

Crowley sighs before he leans forward. “Perhaps it’s a store where we’ll find the key.” 

“I think it’s a person but nice try,” Lucian says, patting Crowley’s head. 

He thinks for a while. “There’s a summoning spell we can perform,” he says, thoughtfully picking up Crowley’s hand and pricking his finger with a knife. 

“Ow!” Crowley exclaims. 

“Oh hush,” Lucian scolds. “It wasn’t that bad.” 

He closes his eyes and murmurs the incantation before a billow of smoke rises up, showing him a young man in purple plaid. 

Dean Winchester. 

His expression narrows. 

Now to find this “Righteous Man.”   
\-----

“Another bust?” Sam asks when Charlie lets out a beleaguered sigh. 

She turns her gaze to him and frowns. “Yeah. Applied for another job at AgraBAH for their IT Department but there’s a hiring freeze. And it’s not like it’s just easy to up and leave this town.” 

Sam frowns. It’s the truth, there’s nothing around for miles and the only transportation out of there is in the compound where the large scale company is. 

If he knew any better he’d suspect there was some kind of magic involved. But magic wasn’t real, or was it?

He spots Dean and waves him over. 

“Got anything?” He asks. 

Dean checks his bag and then his pockets. “Nope,” he says. 

Sam huffs out a sigh. “Great. So we’re basically not eating for the next few days.” 

“Something’ll turn up,” Bobby says. “We’re not always gonna be in the middle of a drought.” He’s the local mechanic, but since the town’s so small, no one has much use for his services, apart from the few times that the Angel investors, as they call them, leave the compound.

Sam looks up and he notices Dean’s gaze completely off of them. He follows Dean’s gaze and it lands on a man in a trenchcoat who looks very obviously out of place in the farmer’s market. 

He nudges Charlie and gestures over to Dean. 

Charlie laughs. “Wow, guess we lost him for the day.” 

“Guess so.” Sam winks at her before heading over to Dean, wrapping an arm around his brother. “Penny for your thoughts?” He asks playfully. 

Dean snaps out of his reverie. “Huh?” He asks. “Yeah I know you can do it Sam,” he says before jumping down from the wall they’re sitting on. 

Sam frowns before looking back at Charlie with a faint smile on his lips. 

She laughs and begins to go through the limited amounts of repairs they have on the dock for the day. Sam follows her back into the garage to start going over the numbers. 

Well. Just to confirm that they are, indeed, still in the red. 

\----

Dean’s pretty sure he’s never seen anyone more clueless than the blue-eyed handsome man in the trenchcoat. 

The way he walks around the market makes Dean want to laugh. But also stare. Why, he’s not really willing to accept or question at the moment. 

He’s about to introduce himself when he notices the man in a slight argument with one of the shopkeepers. 

A child sits next to the stall happily munching on an apple and Dean puts two and two together. Clearly this handsom trenchcoat idiot doesn’t know how to steal properly yet.   
Clearly Dean will have to teach him. One way or another. 

So he steps close to the stall owner and leans against a support. “Hey, anything I can help you with?” He asks the shopkeeper. 

The shopkeeper sighs heavily before gesturing at the other man. . 

“He seems to think he can just hand out food and not pay.”

“I can pay,” the angelically beautiful man says, holding up some plastic. 

The shopkeeper growls. “And I told you I only take cash. Cash only,” he says pointing to a sign that does, in fact, say cash only. 

“Look,” Dean argues, wrapping an arm around the handsome man. “This is my cousin--and admittedly he needs a little help. Can’t we work something out?” 

He bats his eyes at the shopkeeper. 

“What are you talking about?” Trenchcoat asks, growling. 

Dean helpfully jabs him on the side. “Play along,” he mutters. “So we’re just gonna get him some help and we’ll be moving along. To go see the doctor.” 

Trenchcoat gives him a look of disdain before he exhales rather loudly. “Oh hello doctor,” he says to a nearby horse. 

Dean grins. Perfect. He’s playing along just nicely. 

Soon they’re out of harm’s path and Dean lets go of Trenchcoat. Though a few seconds later he can hear the police catching up behindthem. 

“Son of a bitch,” Dean grouses before he turns to look at Trenchcoat. “Do you trust me?” He asks. 

Trenchcoat tilts his head to the side. 

“Do you trust me?” Dean repeats holding out his hand.

“Something tells me I shouldn’t, but yes, yes I do.” And with that, he takes Dean’s hand. 

Dean grins and tugs as he begins running down a side alley, hopping up through a hole in a wall. He turns around and takes the other man’s hand and pulls him through.   
He remains hand in hand with him as they race up the stairs until they’re on the roof of Bobby’s shop. 

The moon has just risen in the sky, and Dean leans back against one of the blankets laid out there. (He and Sam like to lay out here and watch the stars)

“Thanks,” Trenchcoat says before letting out a sigh. 

“So uh, you got a name?” Dean asks, lounging back. 

“Cas--” he stops. “Cas.” 

“Dean,” Dean repsonds in kind. “Nice to meet you.” The corners of his lips quirk up as he looks at Cas. “So tell me Cas, you new around here? And if so, how’d you get in?” 

Cas shakes his head. His gaze settles on the spires of the compound in the near distance. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” he says. 

Dean’s eyebrows furrow. “I’m pretty sure I would have seen you somewhere? You like sheltered or something.”

“Something,” Cas responds, turning his gaze towards Dean, watching his every movement. 

Dean knows that he should find that absolutely creepy in every single way, but something about it is flattering. And he finds himself drawn closer to this Cas guy. 

“You ever wanna just take off and never look back?” Dean asks after a short while. 

The corners of Cas’s mouth quirk up. “Only every hour of every day,” he responds. 

“I just, wanna, I dunno, take a car and hit the road. Travel the country--hell, even the world. 

Cas continues the thought. “You mean. Just no obligations, no orders to follow, simply--just being free?” 

“Ain’t that a thought,” Dean says, his expression bright. “You, me, Sammy,” he says. “My kid brother,” he adds when Cas raises his eyebrow. “But picture this, the three of us. On a beach somewhere. Matching hawaiian shirts, mai tais in hand. Toes in the sand Cas, toes in the sand.” 

Cas can’t help but laugh in response. He turns, lacing his and Dean’s fingers together. “I might have just met you today, Dean, but I can’t think of anything I’d rather have then spending time with you on the beach.” He turns his head so he’s laying on his side, facing Dean and Dean gravitates towards his lips. 

“I’m tellin’ you, the three of us’ll have a great time,” Dean says, his eyes practically sparkling as he leans forward. 

When they’re about to kiss, Dean freezes when he hears a voice behind them. 

“There you are,” the officer says. 

Dean groans, getting up, his hands up in the air. “All I did was steal some bread,” he argues. The officer shrugs. “Well take it up with the court.” 

Disappointment doesn’t even begin to cover what’s going through Dean’s head right now. Fear for his brother, his friend Charlie, and his adoptive father Bobby. 

They depend on him, what’ll happen to them. He glances at Cas before Cas is shedding his trenchcoat. Dean frowns when he sees the pin on the lapels of a frighteningly expensive suit. 

This guy’s part of the ruling family. 

“Unhand him,” Castiel says, his eyes practically glowing. 

One of the officer’s eyes widen in recognition. “Castiel,” he murmurs. 

“You heard me,” Cas says. 

“Look, our orders come from Lucian,” he says. 

“Well you can bet I’m gonna speak with him,” Castiel argues, huffing. 

He steps out of the building in front of everyone else and Dean’s jaw drops, hearts practically dancing in his eyes. This? This is Castiel? The man who’s going to take over for Charles officially? Change the face of AgraBAH after getting married? (Though Dean refuses to call the pang that settles through his body one of jealousy). 

Castiel gets into a black car as Dean is manhandled into a squad car, his hands in cuffs. 

“I’m sorry Sammy,” he says, looking out the window at Bobby’s auto shop. 

He has a feeling he’s not coming back anytime soon.


	4. A Diamond in the Rough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah this is not gonna be finished before the year's end.  
> But! I'm hoping that I can at least give you guys biweekly updates!

He’s brought into an office in the basement, and Dean is confused. Why did large corporations have dungeons?  

And although he’s confused, he’s unsurprised really. 

Nothing about this town in the middle of the desert is normal. There’s a reason he can’t leave, and there’s a reason no one else can leave. 

Though he doesn’t want to name it magic, there’s something...unnatural about the whole thing. 

Super unnatural rather. 

But he’s not in a position of power to question it--at least not now. But he has a feeling that he’s stumbled upon the darkest part of the magic right here. 

A frown settles upon his lips as he looks at the man behind the desk. Though he’s dressed sharply, a smile on his face, there’s a cruelty behind his eyes that makes Dean’s skin crawl in every single way possible. 

“Dean,” the man says, his blue eyes surprisingly dark and devoid of any sort of natural empathy. 

Dean growls, struggling against his restraints. “How do you know my name?” He asks, his voice dropping several octaves below his already low register. 

Lucian tuts before his eyebrows stitch together. “Wow, I’ve been--so rude,” he says, pressing a hand to his chest in contrition. “My name is Lucian. And this, idiot, is my personal secretary Crowley.” He glares at Crowley who’s standing behind Dean with a proud expression on his face until he’s called an idiot. 

“Mr. Morni--” He protests before Lucian holds a hand up, his eyebrows stitching together, his mouth twisting in an almost comical frown. 

“You cuffed him? Shame, he’s not my prisoner.” He stands up, shaking his head. “Dean’s my esteemed guest, show him some mercy won’t you?” He asks, eyes glimmering. He offers what Dean thinks is supposed to be an apologetic glance, but merely registers to him as blank. 

Crowley stutters up, defensive. “But you said--” He squawks. Lucian holds up a hand and clicks his tongue. 

“I said nothing of the sort. I said bring Dean to me, not like this. We’re not law enforcement,” he adds. And with a snap, the cuffs are removed by another guard. “I’m sorry about my secretary,” Lucian says, clapping Dean’s back. “Good help is so hard to find these days. You’ll have to tell me where I can get a better secretary,” he adds. 

Dean’s still not sure about him. Though he relents a little. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding. (Though in his experience it rarely is.) He takes a deep breath before  speaking. “What do you want?” 

“Want? Me?” Lucian asks. “I want a lot of things. World Peace, for one,” he says. “But most of all, I want--well, not want really,  _ need _ , is a better way of putting it. I need your help.” 

Dean’s eyes narrow again. “Need? My help for what?” 

“Well, you see, I mean, I’d do it myself,” Lucian says, offering Dean a seat across from his desk. 

He tries to remain standing, but a look from the guard indicates that this is not an option. Dean’s going to sit whether he likes it or not. So he lowers himself into the seat across from Lucian’s desk. 

“Well, let’s start earlier,” Lucian says, sitting on the desk, looking down at Dean. “How much do you know about dark magic? Or well...any magic.” 

“It’s super messed up,” Dean responds. 

Lucian rolls his eyes. “Well you see, Deaneo, that’s actually a misconception. It’s just a tool. In the wrong hands, it can be very dangerous. But in the right hands--it can be very powerful. You already know that no one goes in or out of this city right?” He says. 

Dean nods once. 

“Well it’s because there’s ancient dark magic keeping us here. Haven’t you always wanted to travel, see the world?” He asks, his piercing gaze remaining on Dean. 

He can’t help but nod again, suddenly interested. 

“Well then, we can both be of some help to each other,” Lucian says. “There’s a lamp. Just outside of town, just before all the wardings. It’s in an old junkyard, but here’s the kicker. I can’t go in.” 

“Why not?” Dean asks. 

“Just--that’s not the way the magic works. Turns out--you have that special, _ je ne sais quoi _ , to get in,” Lucian says, spitting out the french words. “So here’s the deal, you get me the lamp, and you and your brother get a free ticket out of this town.” 

“No,” Dean responds, growling. “I don’t care, magic always comes at a price and I’m not paying it.” 

Lucian places his hand over his chest. “I’m afraid I thought it may come to this.” He snaps and an image of Sam pops up on a screen behind him and Dean suddenly stands up. “You’re not going to touch him,” he says, growling. 

Lucian shrugs. “Well, no, I wouldn’t be touching him. That gets messy--though…” his eyes glitter as he turns to look at Sam. And Dean doesn’t like the carnivorous look that crosses his face, if Dean didn’t know any better, he could swear that Lucian was going to eat his brother for dinner. “I wouldn’t mind touching him, he’s kind of beautiful.” 

Dean growls. “Okay. I’ll--I’ll do it,” he says. 

A smile crosses Lucian’s face as he turns off the screen. “Perfect. I’m--I’m really glad we could work together.” 

“Pervert,” Dean mumbles under his breath. 

“You might wanna be nicer to me,” Lucian says, carefully examining his fingernails. “I’m just saying, I kinda--hold all the cards here. But, don’t worry, I won’t forget when people are nice to me. Never.” 

He places a heavy hand on Dean’s shoulder. 

“We should get going,” He says, his lips curving up into a toothy grin. 

Dean shudders in turn, standing up. He’s tempted to flinch away from Lucian, but this is Sammy...Sam’s in danger and he’d stop at nothing to make sure that Sam’s safe. 

-

Lucian and Crowley both sit in the back of the town car, Dean sandwiched into the middle of them as they drive towards the outskirts of town, through the miles of desert between them and the junkyard. 

“One last thing,” Lucian says. “Once you get in, just take the lamp. Don’t touch anything else, yout might want to, but just don’t do it.” 

Dean nods. “Just...show me where to go,” he says, his voice resigned. 

The rest of the ride is silent, thankfully. The only sound Dean makes is when he sees the warehouse and surrounding junkyward, it’s huge, almost appearing out of nowhere. Was that always there on the horizon?

The car parks nearby and Lucian walks with Dean to the abandoned gates. He gestures with his hand to a button that’ll open the large door and Dean presses it, feeling a current surge through him. 

Having worked on a lot of cars, Dean knows the feeling of being electrocuted. This isn’t it. This is something different. 

The gates slowly begin to rise, and Dean steps into the abandoned warehouse. 

Dean moves to find the switch for the light. He flips it on and looks around. The entire room is filled to the brim with more treasure than he’s ever seen in his life. 

Most of all, he’s drawn to the corner where there’s an honest to god  _ fleet  _ of american muscle cars. And parts to spare. 

Honestly, if Dean could take just a few parts here and there, it’ll fund Bobby’s car shop for  _ years _ to come. But he relents, stepping forward and away from temptation. 

Though he doesn’t notice the blue car behind him beginning to roll forward, as if to follow Dean into the warehouse. 

His gaze instead wanders to a golden lamp sitting on top of a high shelf and he lets out a frustrated groan. “I don’t suppose one of you can fly me up there,” he says, turning to the car behind him. Which is weird, wasn’t it parked further back? 

He shrugs. Cars can’t drive themselves. Even ones as pretty as this 1967 Chevy Impala. (Dean wants nothing more than to take her home. He’s already named her. Baby.). But he’s agreed not to touch anything, so he won’t. 

So he climbs up the side of the shelf, hoping it doesn’t topple over, when he grabs the lamp. 

_ Success _

Dean takes it and climbs back down on the ground. Baby’s there and the temptation is too great, so he reaches out to place a hand over the hood when a deep booming voice thunders around him. 

_ You have broken the one law of this land, you will remain here forever. _

Panic seizes him as he jumps into the car. He’s already, messed up, he reasons, might as well try and make his escape via nice wheels. 

The garage door is closing slowly in the distance, and Lucian is visible just beyond that in the moonlight. 

Dean reaches the door and he scrambles to try and pass Lucian the lamp when it’s too late. The door closes, sealing him off inside the warehouse. 

“Son of a bitch!” Dean exclaims, thumping his hand heavily against the garage door. He sinks down to the ground, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. He’s never going to see Sam or Charlie or Bobby again. And he’s not going to see the man with the impossible blue eyes. Clutching the lamp in his hands, he curls up, a tear streaming down the side of his cheek. It falls and lands on the lamp and Dean shakes his head before rubbing it off with his thumb. 

As soon as he does, smoke begins billowing out the mouth of the lamp and surrounds both him and Baby. 

Moments later, they’re both bathed in light and what Dean sees next, shakes him to his very core. 

 

_ “Ten thousand years can really give you a crick in the neck!”  _


End file.
